Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to instruments for surgically joining tissue and, more specifically, to surgical instruments and loading units for use therewith, and to related methods of use.
Background of Related Art
Various types of surgical instruments used to surgically join tissue are known in the art, and are commonly used, for example, for closure of tissue or organs in transection, resection, anastomoses, for occlusion of organs in thoracic and abdominal procedures, and for electrosurgically fusing or sealing tissue.
One example of such a surgical instrument is a surgical stapling instrument, which may include an anvil assembly, a cartridge assembly for supporting an array of surgical staples, an approximation mechanism for approximating the cartridge and anvil assemblies, and a firing mechanism for ejecting the surgical staples from the cartridge assembly.
During use of a surgical stapling instrument, it is common for a surgeon to approximate the anvil and cartridge members to clamp tissue and subsequently fire the instrument to emplace rows of staples in the tissue. Additionally, the surgeon may use the same instrument or a separate instrument to cut the tissue adjacent or between the row(s) of staples.